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John Wall officially announced his retirement from the NBA on Tuesday, dropping the curtain on an impressive 11-year career. Deciding to retire is always a difficult decision for an athlete, and former NBA player Kendrick Perkins revealed on the Road Trippin' podcast that he struggled with depression for over a year after walking away. "I know how hard it is to retire when you retire not on your terms," Perkins said. "When you retire because that damn phone stop ringing... It’s the hardest thing in the world. I went through a depression for about a year and a half, but when you finally walk away from the game and announce your retirement, it’s so difficult."
Perkins believes it will be very hard for someone like his former teammate LeBron James to walk away from basketball. He added that James will at least get to do it on his own terms, unlike him. "That s*** sends you into a f***ing depression," Perkins said. "I didn't want to go outside. You know why? Because I didn’t want to go outside and go places where people would be like, ‘Oh, Perk, who are you with now?' [I'd say], ‘Uh, nobody. I’m just working out, waiting on a call.’ I ain't want to answer those questions."
Jaylen Brown: 'I’ve dealt with anxiety, even depression. I’ve been to some very dark places'
In a candid interview with “The School of Hard Knocks”, the Boston Celtics star opened up about mental health, his faith and the challenges that have shaped his journey to becoming a four-time All-Star. “I’ve dealt with anxiety, even depression. I’ve been to some very dark places,” Brown said. “But I feel like those dark places have allowed my light to shine.”
When asked what advice he would give someone going through rock bottom, Brown didn’t hold back. “It’s OK. Never let anything break your spirit. Everybody’s gonna deal with adversity at some point—even plants struggle to get sunlight.”
Grant Williams: 'I’ve broken down into tears more this year than I have in the past 26 years of my life'
Grant Williams: And to be honest, I could probably do a better job of sharing mine — because people might want to see what I went through, the struggles. But at the same time, you want to push through it privately. It’s a little bit of both. The journey is difficult. I’ve broken down into tears more this year than I have in the past 26 years of my life. You just have to be mindful of your mental health — and strengthen it. Because it’s just as important as your physical health."
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What made me turn the corner after that period we were talking about? Michael Beasley: When I found out my family was stealing from me. And they weren’t stealing from me intentionally—they were just spending more money than I was making. And my CPA? He stole from me. Straight up… messed me over. I was in the NBA—being completely taken advantage of. I think it was my fourth or fifth year in the league. Maybe my sixth year—yeah, when I was with Houston. Actually, my third year in the league is when it started. My CPA stole all my money. Every last dollar."
"Just a very difficult thought, and I don't want to magnify it, but one of the nights I was at the hotel, I said 'I don't want to go on'. Not just with basketball, but with life. I have a family, I have a son, but I felt that way for a second," "There were some moments when everything around me was just creating a burden, when I thought that my life had no sense."
In a specific example of such moments, Rubio spoke about the 2019 World Cup as well, where he won the MVP award for Spain. He admitted showing symptoms of impostor syndrome, i.e., the psychological pattern where an individual seems to feel undeserving of their success. "When I reflect on my career, I'm never satisfied, because it was never enough. I wasn't ecstatic when I would receive an award, I would say to myself that I'm fake, that I don't deserve this."
During his NBA career, he once opened up to the media about his troubles sleeping and got some noteworthy advice from a veteran opponent during an NBA game. "I remember in my third or fourth year in the NBA that I was having a hard time. I was on a bad streak, and there's a journalist who's interviewing me, and I'm opening up a little bit. I find it hard to sleep, I'm feeling bad... And I'm in a game, in a free throw, and a veteran player from the rival team tells me, 'I'm going to give you advice, don't reveal any weak points of yours to the press because they're going to come after you. We're all sharks here, and when we smell blood, we'll get you."
Kyrie Irving: Nerves? I still do get nervous, right? But it’s not uncontrollable nerves now. I know how to settle myself down and regulate my nervous system. Regulating your nervous system starts with breathing through struggle, with breathing through what’s happening internally. Obviously, it’s a lot more to it than just breathing, but as someone who’s dealt with anxiety, who deals with PTSD, and who has been able to be transparent about where I am mentally, spiritually, emotionally—yeah, I still get nervous. But being judged is truly an honor. Being judged for who you are—it’s an honor. Now, it’s up to you whether or not you pay attention to those judgments. But with all the mental stuff people go through, I’ve learned to expand and focus on what I can control in the moment—to be better, rather than afraid of being uncomfortable or facing confrontation.”
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Ricky Rubio on mental health struggles: One night I just said, 'I don't want to continue... my life, not my career'
Among the other statements, Ricky Rubio talked how he wanted to end his life: "One night I was in the hotel room, and I just said I don't want to continue. My life, not my career," Rubio said. "There were some moments when everything around me was just creating burden, when I thought that my life has no sense. When I reflect on my career I'm never satisfied, because it was never enough. I wasn't ecstatic when I would receive an award, I would say to myself that I'm fake, that I don't deserve this."
Dejounte Murray on his first year in New Orleans: When I was dealing with personal issues, the organization wasn’t giving me what I needed
During a guest appearance on “The Pivot Podcast,” Murray was incredibly critical of the Pelicans. While opening up about his personal issues at home, the 28-year-old guard called out New Orleans for the dysfunction he witnessed during his first season with the organization. “It was a situation where, like, I got all these problems going on… I broke my hand, I'm recovering. My mom had a stroke, one of my cousins got killed, then my uncle overdosed… [During all this] I'm not getting what I need in the organization. It's hard for me to get my training time. It's hard for me to get lifts. It's hard for me to get my own court time. So, you can only imagine where my mental was at.”
“I think getting experience is always huge for your mental,” said Jaquez, who is coming off an appearance at the Heat youth camps in Miami and Cooper City. “But I think more than anything, it’s just finding time and moments in the day to just really ground yourself and be present. “I’m working with a mental coach to try to just help myself become present in the moments, try to tune out all the noise and just really focus on what’s important.”
Kyrie Irving: 'I know what it feels like to lose it all or not want to be on Earth anymore'
Kyrie Irving: It’s Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, but this is about awareness of your mental health every day. I’m on here because this helps me with mine. It’s getting me out of my comfort zone, helping me create boundaries. I’m way more driven, and it’s helping me heal. I’m watching the Finals, recovering from my ACL injury—I could be bogged down or depressed. But I’m sharing this unfiltered because you deserve it. I let people spin narratives, get into my head, violate my spiritual boundaries. That led to a spiral of emotions. I know what it feels like to lose it all or not want to be on Earth anymore. So please—don’t stay quiet, don’t retreat. I care. Reach out to your loved ones. You don’t need to call every day, but check on them. Say, ‘How you doing? I love you.’ That matters. I love each and every one of you. Thank you for supporting me."
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